Pages

Thursday, 4 October 2018

Bitter melon, also known as bitter gourd or bitter
squash is a nutritious vegetable differing in shape, size and color. The
vegetable is known for its strong bitter taste. My kids do not eat this because
of its bitter taste, so I tried this recipe and my kids enjoyed it. This is a very simple
basic recipe for kootu by adding bitter gourd and toor dal with mild seasoning,topped
with grated coconuts.Lets try serving our family with this healthy recipe.

Preptime

Cooking time

Serves

15 mins

20 mins

4persons

Recipe
type: Kootu varieties

Cuisine:South Indian Cuisine

Ingredients

Bitter gourd-1 large

Toor dal -3/4 cup

Channa dal -1/4 cup

Grated jaggery -1 tbsp

Turmeric powder-1/2 tsp

Freshly grated coconut -2 tbsp

Seasonings

Mustard seeds -1 tsp

Urad dal -1 tsp

Dried red chillie -2 nos

Green chilli -1 no

Hing -1/2 tsp

Curry leaves –few

Oil –to temper

Green chillies -3 no’s

Cilantro –few sprigs

Method

1.Soak
the tamarind in 1/2 cup of water for 30 minutes and get the juice.Soak split
bengal gram and split pigeon pea for an hour. Drain water.Pressure cook bitter gourd
along with toor dal,channa dal and turmeric powder until soft and mushy.(3-4
whistles).Once the pressure is released,add salt and simmer for 5 minutes.

2. Heat
some oil in a kadai and temper from mustard seeds through curry leaves.Add to
the boiling bitter gourd along with the oil.Simmer for 5 more minutes.

3.Now add the coconut
paste and bring to boil until the raw smell is gone. Remove from heat then add
asafoetida powder and coriander leaf mix well and serve.

Notes

Wash, de-seed and cut gourd into
slices. Sprinkle some salt, 1/2 tsp turmeric powder, set aside for about half
an hour. Now squeeze slices, wash 1-2 times in fresh water.

Kadamba Sadham is a famous recipe among iyengars.. You can
also use vegetables like Beans, tomato to include in the vegetable list.Mixed vegetable sambar or Kadamba Sambar is a South
Indian dish which can be served with rice and papad or stir fries (poriyal).
Kadambam means “mixed”. Since it has mixed vegetables in this dish it is known
as “Kadamba Sambar”. I have used freshly ground spices in this dish which is
more flavorful and delicious.

1. Extract Tamarind essence from warm water. Cook
Toor dal with water and a pinch of turmeric powder in a cooker.Heat a pan with a teaspoon of oil, add coriander
seeds, channa dal, dried chilies, fenugreek seeds, urad dal and fry it until
lentils becomes golden brown colour. Set it aside and add the shredded
coconut to the pan and fry it until there is no moisture. Let it cool. Allow this roasted mix
to cool and grind them in a mixer in the form of a paste by adding grated
coconut, little water and asafetida. Grind the fried
ingredients along with the shallots (small onions) to a paste adding a little
water.

2.In the kadai (you can reuse the same kadai), add
4 tsp oil, season mustard and asafetida and once they splutter, add the green
chillies and the vegetables and slightly roast them. Now add water and salt and
a pinch of turmeric powder.

3. Cover the kadai with a lid and allow it to steam
for some time till it is half cooked. Now add tamarind water and allow it to
boil for some more time. Allow to boil until the raw smell of tamarind and
sambar powder is gone.

4. When the vegetables are 3/4thcooked, add the grinded paste, cooked
& mashed toor dal and curry leaves – few. Allow it on stove for 5 mins and
switch off.Finally add the asafetida powder and turn off the
stove. Add curry leaves and coriander leaves. Sambar is ready to serve.

Serving
suggestions

Hot Rice with gingelly oil

Notes

Now add
the Kadamba sambar and mix it well with rice such that there are no lumps.